Police: We Do Our Job at Show – The Police

Police: We Do Our Job at ShowsSunday News

The outbreak of violence at the concert by the British group The Police at Western Springs on Wednesday will not result in the New Zealand police shouldering more responsibility for security at future rock concerts.

Police headquarters yesterday commented on a report from the NewZealand Herald’s correspondent in London that British police accept responsibility for large public events and that the bill is met by both central and local government.

Deputy Commissioner Bryan Gibson, of police headquarters in Wellington, said security at pop festivals was “fairly and squarely” the responsibility of those who profit from them.

He said that ‘while the police would continue to provide adequate staff at rock concerts and other venues,their function was to maintain the law-not to become sentries protecting commercial interests.

“Most major pop groups and their promoters become very wealthy. In my view they can afford to become wealthy a little more slowly and spend more on their own security arrangements. And venues must be such that they can be secured.

” He said the police had several alternatives.

They could charge promoters for their services, or they could call out hundreds of police with the consequent reduction in the level of services to the rest of the community.

A third alternative was for police to don riot gear, draw batons and over come disorder by brute force.

“And is a rock concert run for profit worth that? I think not,” Mr Gibson said.

He said 100 police and even more security guards were on duty at the concert on Wednesday.

“Our commitment to such activities is already enormous and can only be achieved by cancelling days off or diverting staff from essential duties.

“This we do willingly enough when law and order is in issue. But pop entrepreneurs seeking profit should shoulder much more of the responsibility for their security.”